ES2660028T3 - Packaging and dispensing device for fluid products with manual pump - Google Patents

Abstract

Packaging and dispensing device for fluid products comprising - a manual pump (2), - a bottle (1) in which said pump (2) is installed and containing the product to be dispensed, - a removable element (11) interposed between the pump (2) and the neck of the bottle (1) and - a shutter (13), connected with the pump, capable of closing the passage circuit of the product to be dispensed between the inside of the bottle (1) and the pump (2) when the removable element (11) is in place, characterized in that said shutter (13) is an element that moves into the bottle (1), when said removable element (11) is removed and The pump (2) is moved by the user from its storage position to a definitive position of use in which the passage of the product to be dispensed between the inside of the bottle (1) and the pump (2) is released. .

Description

5

10

fifteen

twenty

25

30

35

40

Four. Five

fifty

55

DESCRIPTION

Packaging and dispensing device for fluid products with manual pump.

The present invention relates to an improved device for packaging and dispensing of fluid products, and more particularly to a device that guarantees the perfect preservation of the fluid product contained in the bottle between filling and first use.

It is known that the preservation of the fluid products contained in the dispensing devices protected from the outside environment is an important condition for the preservation of their composition, their characteristics and, consequently, their activity, in particular for pharmaceutical and cosmetic products. Although the duration of the use by the patient is generally quite short, a few weeks or even a few days, the storage period of these devices between their filling at the place of production and their first use after marketing is much more long. The filled bottles can thus be stored for several months or even several years under conditions sometimes unfavorable for good preservation. In fact, it is known that direct contact with the external environment can have very damaging consequences on the stability of the product contained in said devices, in particular due to oxidation caused by oxygen contained in the air, microbial contamination or even evaporation. of active substances or solvents present in the formulation.

To avoid this direct contact with the outside environment, numerous devices have been developed that allow, during the use phase, to extract the product from the device without the air penetrating into the interior, in contact with the product remaining in the device. These devices are generally designated by the term "airless".

The known fluid product packaging and dispensing devices generally have a rigid housing container in which a piston is moved which pushes the product into the inlet port in the dosing chamber and isolates it from the air entering below the piston. Devices with rigid containers are also known in which a deformable flexible bag is placed that retracts as the product is removed. The product left in the bag is kept protected from the air, while the expulsion of the product from the bag can be achieved by means of a pump with no air inlet or “without air”.

In all cases, a vent is provided, generally at the bottom or neck of the bottle, to allow outside air to enter the space between the bottom of the bottle and the piston or between the bottle and the bag in each pump drive and thus allow the piston to move or the bag to retract while maintaining sufficient pressure on its walls. An example of an embodiment that follows this technique is described in patent document FR 2,723,356 which refers to a device that has a flexible plastic bag, such as polyethylene or polypropylene, in a rigid container whose neck has a air entrance.

Another example of a bottle-bag is described in patent document FR 2,827,844 which refers to a device that has a flexible flexible bag placed in a rigid bottle, associated with a pump, in which the bag includes a constituted cylindrical wall by a sheet of metal or plastic material rolled at the edges of two discs, one of which forms the bottom of the bag and the other a ring for fixing the bottle and the pump.

The principle of operation of the dosing pumps used in said dispensing devices for fluid, liquid or pasty products is well known. A manual dosing pump is usually installed in a bottle that contains the product to be dispensed and consists of a dosing chamber that has a certain volume, a piston capable of moving in the chamber under the action of a pusher, and at least two valves. The lower valve, or inlet valve, located at the entrance of the chamber and which controls the communication with the inside of the bottle, closes when the button is pressed, while the upper valve, at the exit of the chamber, is opens, letting the product expelled from the chamber through the displacement of the piston, then, when the pusher is released, the piston rises again in the chamber under the action of a spring, the upper valve closes while the lower valve opens, allowing the filling of the chamber for a new dosage of a product dose.

The pumps generally associated with the flexible bags must guarantee a good seal and be able to operate in any position, vertical or inclined, of the bottle. Patent document FR 2,669,379 describes a metering pump that provides a good seal even in the case of a change of position, of the type of axial piston carrying a sliding floating piston, which has three valves. Patent document FR 2,731,992 describes a dispensing bottle whose pusher is combined with a fixed piston connected with the bottle to constitute a pump. Another example of an airless pump is described in application WO 04/054721 which refers to a pump for bottle-bag.

There are sealing devices to prevent air from entering the pump outlet tube and cannot degrade the product that is in this tube after each operation of the pump by the user. For example, patent document FR 2,785,878 describes a manual pump dispenser whose outlet tube is provided with a shutter that automatically closes again when the pump is at rest.

5

10

fifteen

twenty

25

30

35

40

Four. Five

fifty

55

All these devices offer a satisfactory level of protection during the phase of use of the product, whose duration is generally short.

However, certain physicochemical processes contribute to the degradation of the products contained in the bottles, such as, for example, the diffusion of the gases through the materials, the evaporation by the micro leaks of the pump circuit or even the prolonged contact between the product contained and certain complex materials of the device, such as the pump valves, but these processes have very slow kinetics and, therefore, no influence during the period of use. On the other hand, the important storage period may allow these slow processes to lead to a progressive degradation of the products that are in danger, therefore, being almost adulterated at the moment they are used.

Therefore, it is essential to ensure that the products contained in the bottles are perfectly protected against these degradation processes avoiding as much as possible the exchanges of the inside of the bottle with the outside, as well as from the outside to the inside and thus during all the storage phase, whatever its duration.

These degradation processes can occur through the vent necessary for any device "without air", since the function of this vent is precisely to allow outside air to come into direct contact with the piston or bag, which induces in this way a danger of oxidation of the product contained in the device.

They can also be caused by microfuges, unavoidable in the pump circuit that has many moving parts, and in particular by a leakage defect at the junction between the pump and the bottle or the bag or even at the level of the valves of the bomb.

This last danger is greatly aggravated when the contained product remains in prolonged contact with the pump inlet valve, as can occur if the device is stored in an inverted horizontal or vertical position. Certain ingredients contained in the valve materials, made by nature of flexible material such as elastomers, can migrate to the contained product and modify its composition in a problematic way. The opposite can also occur and the ingredients contained in the product can migrate to the valve material, which thus modifies its dimensional and mechanical properties. This process can then lead to a loss of tightness of the pump valves and favor the degradation of the product by contact with the external environment.

In all models of manual pump dispensing bottles mentioned above, the protection of the product contained in the bottle or bag with respect to the outside is the same whether the bottle is in the process of storage or in the process of use. However, as indicated above, it is important that good protection is ensured, particularly in particular during storage of the dispensing device before its first use.

Certain safety systems have been proposed to protect the contents of a bottle or bag during storage. Thus, patent application WO 2001019217 describes a manual pump bottle for supplying substances that are each in a separate container, so that they do not mix before the pump is operated. For this purpose, the opening of the containers is sealed with a film while the pump is held above the film by means of a locking ring that is removed before the first use. A similar device is described in patent documents KR 200416576 and JP 2008030838.

Another analogous device is disclosed in EP1108477 A1 which describes a device according to the preamble of claim 1

The present invention specifically aims at a device for packaging and dispensing of fluid products according to claim 1.

The invention allows to minimize exchanges between the inside and outside of the device during the entire period between filling and first use.

The invention also includes a safety device for the pump of a dispensing bottle of the type indicated above, which prevents any accidental use of the pump during storage and which allows the end user to be guaranteed that the product has not been used or modified before He himself uses it.

The term "fluid product" used in the present patent document means a non-solid product at normal temperature capable of being poured out of a container containing it, such as a liquid, a lotion, an emulsion, a paste, a gel, a spray product, etc. These fluid products can be used in various technical fields and can be, for example, cosmetic products, pharmaceuticals, cleaning products, etc.

More precisely, the removable element is placed between the base of the pump skirt and the reinforcement formed in the neck of the bottle intended to receive the pump, for example, by clip fastening or by adjustment. From

5

10

fifteen

twenty

25

30

35

40

Four. Five

fifty

In this way, this removable element keeps the pump in an elevated position with respect to the rigid bottle so that, in this position, the shutter cooperates with the neck of the bottle or the bag to close the product passage circuit.

According to one embodiment, the removable element is constituted by a double U-shaped ring whose branches enclose the outer and inner faces of the pump skirt, and whose base, which connects the two branches, is frangible. The outer ring separates the edge of the skirt from its operating position where it is in contact with the neck of the bottle. The tearing of the outer ring with the rupture of the base that connects it to the inner ring releases the pump that can be brought to its final operating position.

According to another embodiment, the removable element is constituted by a single ring that encloses the base of the outer face of the pump skirt. For the first use, the tearing of the ring as indicated above releases the pump which can then be put into its final operating position.

The shutter is advantageously fixed at the base of the pump and is in tight contact with the inner face of the neck of the bottle or the bag containing the product, when the removable element is in place in the pump. According to a preferred feature of the invention, the shutter has at least one annular edge that cooperates with the inner edge of the pump support when the removable element is in place in the pump.

According to another feature, the removable element has a thickness such that, once this element has been removed, the pump can be pressed into its support to be finally placed in its place and free enough space between the plug, attached to the pump, and the support, for the passage of the fluid.

According to a variant of the invention, the lower face of the shutter may be coated with a piece or a film, for example, a gas impermeable metal film, which has the effect of making this gas seal impermeable to gases. The metal part or film, for example, a film containing an aluminum foil, can be advantageously placed on the lower face of the shutter or inserted into the thickness of this lower face that is capable of coming into contact with the product contained in the bottle or bag

The device according to the present invention has the advantage of guaranteeing a good seal between the inside and outside of the bottle, or the bag if necessary, so that the outside air cannot penetrate even through the vent when it is placed in the pump or the pump circuit and reach the product contained in the bottle, or in the bag, and that the product itself or certain ingredients it contains cannot escape through the pump, before the first actuation of the pusher by user part.

In addition, when the removable element is in place in the pump, the shutter is in the closed position and then forms an insulating wall between the product that is in the bottle, or in the bag, and the pump, which allows limit free volumes above the product and consequently limit the eventual evaporation of the product by pressure equilibrium.

The presence of the removable element instead in the pump shows the user that the fluid product packaging and dispensing device has not yet been used and, therefore, constitutes an indicator of the original quality of the product contained therein.

In addition, when the shutter is in the closed position, the pump valves are completely isolated from the product contained in the bottle or bag, which avoids any harmful interaction between the two during the entire storage period. Since the shutter is preferably made of the same material as the bottle or the neck of the bag, this allows limiting the number of materials of different natures capable of coming into contact with the product to be dispensed, during the entire storage period.

The underside of the shutter can be covered, that is, covered with a film, preferably of the same material as the bag, to avoid or limit any discontinuity of material in contact with the product contained in the bag during the storage period before First use

The pump used in the invention can advantageously be a pump called "no air", no air inlet, which has a piston that can be moved in the dosing chamber under the action of a pusher, an inlet valve that controls the passage from the bottle to the chamber and an outlet valve that can close the chamber.

Therefore, the pump of the invention has a common pump simply complemented by two elements, namely the removable element placed at the periphery and the plug at the base of the pump.

The implementation can be done very easily. The shutter and the removable element are pre-mounted on the pump so that, during packaging, the bag (or bottle, if applicable) is filled with the product, and then the pump is simply placed in place like any other pump, for example, by clip fastening. During the first use, the user tears the removable element, for example, by means of a tongue, and presses on the pump, or on its pusher, to bring it to its final position. This movement has the effect of moving the pump vertically down and, consequently, the shutter connected to the

5

10

fifteen

twenty

25

30

35

40

Four. Five

fifty

base of the pump, and to release the passage of the bottle to the pump to allow the extraction of the product contained in the bag or in the bottle when the pump is operated.

Where appropriate, a protective cover can be provided above the pump pusher, resting on the pump or on the bottle fixing ring.

The pump body is usually made of plastic material such as polypropylene of adequate density to provide the desired mechanical qualities. The shutter can be of the same material as the bag ring, and its bottom face can have a gas-impermeable piece or film, for example, a sheet that combines several layers of plastic materials, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), EVOH (ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer that has good gas barrier characteristics) and / or that includes a sheet of metallic aluminum.

The rigid bottle can be made, for example, of any suitable material such as a polyethylene or a polypropylene of adequate density to confer the desired mechanical properties. The end of the pump outlet tube can be provided with a complementary closure system of any suitable flexible and elastic material, and preferably of nitrile, butyl, silicone or TPE elastomer.

The flexible bag can be manufactured by injection and blow molding or by extrusion and blow molding, for example, from low density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, EVOH copolymer or by welding, on a support, a multilayer film or a metal film coated with a plastic film. The material that forms the bag can be chosen depending on the nature of the product that must be contained in it. Therefore, a low density polyethylene is generally suitable for products that are not sensitive to the action of the surrounding air, while a metal film coated with a plastic film is more suitable for an oxidation sensitive product.

An exemplary embodiment of a dispensing bottle with pump without air inlet, or "without air", according to the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings which represent:

Figure 1: is an axial sectional view showing a bottle-bag equipped with the device of the invention.

Figure 2: A detailed partial sectional view of Part D of Figure 1.

Figure 3: A sectional view of the device shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4: A sectional view of the pump shutter detail.

Figure 5: A sectional view of a variant of the shutter of Figure 4 closed by a cover.

Figure 6: A sectional view of the bottle-bag of Figure 1 after removal of the blocking device. Figure 7: A partial sectional view of the detail of Figure 2 after removal of the locking device. Figure 8: A sectional view of the shutter of Figure 4 after unlocking.

Figure 9: An axial sectional view of a variant of the bottle-bag of Figure 1.

Figure 10: A partial sectional view of the detail of the union of the ring of the bottle-bag shown in Figure 9.

Figure 1 shows a rigid bottle (1) carrying a pump without air intake (2) driven by a pusher (3) mounted on a ring (4) snapped into the neck of the rigid bottle (1) and attached to the neck of the bag with flexible and deformable wall (5) containing the product to be dispensed.

The pump (2) is conventionally connected to the outlet tube (6) provided in the pusher (3) in order to

remove the product contained in the bag (5). The bag is closed at the bottom with the bowl (7) attached

flexible way to the flexible wall (5).

The skirt (8) of the pump (2) is able to come into contact, by the edge (9) of its base, with the reinforcement (10) formed on the inner face of the neck of the rigid bottle (1) when the The pump is in the operating position shown in Figure 6. In this position, the pump (2) rests on the ring (4).

In the storage position shown in Figure 1, a ring (11) is sandwiched between the pump (2) and the neck of the bottle (1) to keep the edge (9) of the skirt (8) of the pump a a certain distance from the reinforcement (10). This ring surrounds the base of the skirt (8) of the pump and prevents it from being placed in order to be activated.

This ring (11) is removable and can be removed by pulling a tongue (12), shown in Figures 2 and 3, which protrudes from the surface of the bottle (1), allowing to tear the ring made of plastic material, such as polyethylene As shown in Figure 3, the ring has a U-section whose two branches are applied against the outer and inner faces of the bottom of the pump skirt (8). The base (11a) that connects the two branches of the ring (11) is frangible and can be broken when the user pulls the tongue (12).

5

5

10

fifteen

twenty

25

30

35

The base of the pump (2) has a shutter (13) whose outer edge comes into tight contact with the inner edge of the ring (4). These two pieces are shaped to ensure good sealing and prevent any passage of the product from the bag (5) to the pump (2) and any passage of gas from the outside through the pump to the bag, as shown more specifically in Figure 4. The openings (14) are formed in the base of the pump to let the product out of the bag (5) pass when the pusher (3) is operated, the pump being in the operating position, but in the position shown in Figure 1, the ring (11) being in place and the pump (2) being in the raised position, the circuit of passage of the product from the bag to the pump passing through the openings (14) is closed by the contact between the inner edge of the ring (4) and the shutter (13).

It is seen that in this elevated position of the pump (2), the plug (13) forms an insulating wall between the inside of the bag (5) containing the product to be dispensed and the pump. The tightness is guaranteed by the contact between the outer edge of the plug (13) and the inner edge of the ring (4). The product contained in the bag is therefore perfectly isolated from the outside.

A cover (15) is provided above the pusher (3) to close the assembly.

Figure 5 shows the detail of a variant of the shutter (13) in the closed position by means of a tight contact with the ring (4). The lower face of the shutter (13) is covered with a cover (16), preferably made in the form of a film of the same material as the bag (5). This avoids any discontinuity of material between the bag (5) and the shutter (13) and the product contained in the bag is only in contact with only one material.

When the user removes the ring (11) by tearing the tongue (12), the pump (2) can be placed in its final position by pushing it so that the edge (9) of the skirt (8) comes into contact with the reinforcement (10) formed in the wall of the bottle (1) and that the base of the pump rest on the ring (4), in the position shown in Figure 6.

As Figure 7 shows, in this position, the lower edge of the protective cover (15) comes into contact with the upper edge of the neck of the bottle (1).

In this position, the shutter (13) is separated from the ring (4) that supports the pump and penetrates the bag (5), which thus releases the openings (14) for the passage of the product from the bag to the pump when the pusher (3) is operated, as shown in more detail in FIG. 8.

In the variant embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 9, and in more detail in Figure 10, the removable element is constituted by a single ring (17) having a tear (12) for tearing. In the position shown in Figure 9, the pump is raised by means of the ring (17) with respect to its definitive operating position.

When this ring (17) is completely removed by the user during the first use, there is no obstacle under the base of the pump skirt (8), which can be placed in place, releasing the shutter and the passage of the bag to the pump.

Claims (9)

5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 1. Packaging and dispensing device for fluid products comprising - a manual pump (2), - a bottle (1) in which said pump (2) is installed and containing the product to be dispensed, - a removable element (11) interposed between the pump (2) and the neck of the bottle (1) and - a shutter (13), connected to the pump, capable of closing the passage of the product to be dispensed between the inside of the bottle (1) and the pump (2) when the removable element (11) is in place, characterized in that said shutter (13) is an element that moves into the bottle (1), when said removable element (11) is removed and the pump (2) is moved by the user from its storage position to a definitive position of use in which the passage circuit of the product to be dispensed between the inside of the bottle (1) and the pump (2) is released. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the removable element (11) is located between the base of a skirt (8) of the pump (2) and the reinforcement (10) formed in the neck of the bottle ( 1) intended to receive the pump (2). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pump (2) comprises the removable element (11) located at its periphery and the plug (13) fixed at its base. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plug (13) comprises at least one annular edge that cooperates with an inner edge of a support (4) of the pump (2) when the removable element (11 ) is in place at the pump. 5. Device according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the lower face of the plug (13) is covered with a piece or film (16) impermeable to gases. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the film (16) is a metal film placed on the lower face of the shutter (13) or inserted into the thickness of this lower face. Device according to claim 2 or according to one of claims 3 to 6 when it depends on claim 2, characterized in that the removable element (11) is constituted by a double U-shaped ring whose branches enclose the outer and inner faces of the skirt (8) of the pump (2) and whose base (11a) connecting the two branches is frangible. Device according to claim 2 or according to one of claims 3 to 6 when it depends on claim 2, characterized in that the removable element is constituted by a single ring (17) that encloses the outer face of the base of the skirt (8) of the pump (2). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base of the pump (1) has openings (14) released by the plug (13) when said removable element (11) and the pump (2) are removed. the user moves from its storage position to a definitive position of use.